This is another of those topics which should be written about. I was talking to my hairdresser about my need to find a blog topic. She told me that I really should write about bullies because bullying is such a big problem now. I started to think about it, and I realized that many of the stories in the news recently have their roots in someone's use of bullying behavior, usually taken to extremes. Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines a bully as a blustering browbeating person; especially : one habitually cruel to others who are weaker.

Bullies start young. Almost everyone knows a little kid who takes toys away from others and won't give them back, or who hits or bites. When bullies get older, they don't always use the physical to pick on others. The image of a bully beating up other kids for their lunch money is common and probably does happen frequently. Bullies also spread lies and rumors about others on sites like My Space , or they use school social situations and the help of their friends to make life miserable for the students they target.

There are bullies in three-piece suits with responsible positions who bully others that they may perceive as weaker. They use off-color jokes, suggestive remarks and unwanted advances. In legal terms this is known as sexual harassment; it's just a grown-up bully at work. Maybe you've heard about some of them lately.

There are a number of good websites for both kids and their parents discussing the topic of bullying. They give thoughtful suggestions for dealing with bullies. They also explain what a bully is and offer some ideas about what makes a bully behave in a bullying way. KidsHealth has a good article about bullies and emotions and companion articles about peer-pressure, cliques and gossip, all written for kids. The website articles can also be translated into Spanish by simply clicking on a button. There is also a corresponding site for adults called KidsHealth for parents which discusses the why and how of bullying and offers suggestions for teaching kids not to bully. PBSkids is another kid-friendly site where bullying is discussed in ways that kids understand. A relatively new site is FamilyEducationNetwork which has information for parents, but also lots of advertising to dodge.

The library has some helpful materials as well:
Totally wired : what teens and tweens are really doing online
Stop bullying : las mejores estrategias para prevenir y frenar el acoso escolar
Bullying : how to deal with taunting, teasing, and tormenting
Bullies are a pain in the brain
The no asshole rule : building a civilized workplace and surviving one that isn't

Bullies aren't all named Biff and they are not all intellectually challenged; they are also not all male. The more you and your kids understand about bullies, the less likely you are to become a victim of a bully or a bully yourself.